What’s your tipping point? Study reveals one in 10 never leave a tip

Bad service, rudeness or simply feeling they have already paid for the service means one in ten regularly refuse to leave a tip.

Tipping point infographic

And even those who do pay a gratuity leave an average of just seven per cent of the total bill - well under the customary 10 per cent.

One in five has refused to fork out because of “scruffy or untidy” staff and one in 10 didn’t tip because the server wasn’t in uniform.

Waiters are most likely to be on the receiving end of a tip, followed by taxi drivers, hairdressers and takeaway delivery drivers.

One in five of those polled, by uniform provider Simon Jersey, have been told they didn’t leave enough, by a friend, relative or work colleague - and in some excruciating situations even the server.

But the season of goodwill adds up for waiters and cabbies - with almost a quarter of people saying they will tip an average of £3.54 more over Christmas than at other times of the year.

Staff working harder and more anti-social hours were the main reasons for larger Yuletide tips.

A spokesman for Simon Jersey, which dresses more than half a million of the UK’s working population each day, said: “Tipping is something which is customary and not compulsory, but this can make it quite confusing as there are no hard and fast rules.

“Some people always leave 10 per cent of the bill, regardless of how much this is, whereas others put down a random amount based on their experience or what they have in their purse or pockets.

“And it seems it’s not just the level of service you receive which is the deciding factor in how much money you leave as a tip, or even if one is left at all.

“Being polite and friendly is a big factor in whether any extra is left on top of the bill, but even the appearance of the server contributes to the tip left.

“A simple, smart uniform and clean and tidy appearance seem to all help when it comes to earning the biggest tips.”

The study, of 2,000 Brits, found that despite 74 per cent considering themselves to be ‘good tippers’, only one in 20 said they always pay a gratuity.

And one in 10 admitted to never leaving a tip, with another 31 per cent only doing so if the service has been “particularly good”.

Waiters and waitresses can expect to earn the highest tips, with the average Brit leaving £4.21 after a meal in a restaurant.

Taxi drivers are left an average of £2.71, hairdressers and barbers are paid an extra £2.68 and hotel staff receive £2.32.

Those who work in cafes or coffee shops are left a tip of £1.98 while takeaway delivery drivers get the least at just £1.93.

But 62 per cent of Brits reckon they leave a bigger tip if the person who served them was polite, while another 61 per cent would reward someone putting in more effort than they really needed.

More than half would also tip more if they had a friendly and chatty member of staff with others being generous with the gratuity if they smiled, appeared busy but still served them well or completed work earlier than expected.

Others will also leave a bigger tip if the server looked smart and tidy or was wearing a nice uniform

And more than one in 20 admitted to leaving a bigger tip than usual simply because they thought they were attractive.

But while 72 per cent leave a tip because they feel they’ve had good service, 30 per cent leave one because they feel it’s the ‘done thing’ and is expected of them. Another one in 10 feel embarrassed if they don’t tip someone while 11 per cent simply don’t want people to think they are tight.

A spokesman for Simon Jersey added: “Our study shows that appearance has a major role to play in how we perceive and reward good service.

“We work with some of the UK’s biggest hotel and restaurant chains as well coffee shops and beauticians to make sure their staff always look their best in their uniforms.”

Top 10 professions most likely leave a tip for:

1. Waiters/Waitresses

2. Taxi drivers

3. Hairdressers/barbers

4. Takeaway delivery drivers

5. Hotel staff

6. Café/coffee shop workers

7. Bar staff

8. Beauticians

9. Window cleaners

10. Plumbers

Things most likely to mean you leave a higher tip:

1. If they were polite

2. If they had put more effort into their work than they really needed to

3. If they were friendly and chatty

4. If they smiled

5. If they appeared to be extremely busy but still completed my work to a high standard